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Carbon nutrition labels

Woolworths (or Safeway if you’re Victorian) may soon be providing information about the carbon footprint of the products they sell, according to today’s Sun-Herald.

This is probably a good thing, but I’m sceptical (naturally) about how well it’s going to work. What will be included in the carbon footprint? Will water and energy costs both be considered? How will the system by monitored, and by whom, unless the government is willing to get involved? And how long will it take for workarounds to be found (like labelling sugar as “evaporated cane syrup” on ingredients lists)?

On a larger scale, will it encourage industry back to Australia in the long term? (And at what cost to developing countries?)

Until these questions are answered, I’ll sit back and watch how this develops with interest.